WoLF Joins Coalition in Demanding NCAA Repeal Policy Allowing Men in Women’s Sports

WoLF has joined the nonpartisan coalition of 12 organizations, Our Bodies Our Sports, in demanding the NCAA take immediate action to repeal its discriminatory policy that allows male athletes to compete in women’s sports — taking trophies, roster sports, playing time, resources, and opportunities to compete from women.

In the last week alone, more than 155,000 personalized emails and letters have been delivered to members of the NCAA Board of Governors through this campaign — this includes letters from more than 6,800 NCAA female athletes (current and former).

The NCAA policy allows males who identify as women to play women’s sports, so long as their levels of testosterone meet sport-specific requirements. The NCAA adopted this policy without the input of female athletes and advocates for the female sporting category.

The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) announced last month that sixteen female athletes, including Riley Gaines are suing the NCAA in a class action sex discrimination lawsuit alleging violations of Title IX.

Read the letter below:

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Attention: Members of the NCAA Board of Governors
National Office The National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 7110
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222


April 23, 2024

Dear Members of the NCAA Board of Governors:

We write, once again, on behalf of a coalition of women’s organizations to demand that the NCAA repeal its discriminatory policies that allow male athletes to take trophies, roster spots, playing time, resources and opportunities to compete from women.

Women’s teams are already missing almost $1.1 billion in athletic scholarship aid, as compared to their male peers, even after 52 years of federal law requiring equality in athletic scholarships.
Yet, despite this imbalance, the NCAA continues to propagate a policy that allows male athletes to take roster spots, playing time, and scholarships from women.

Female athletes do not accept this; nor do women’s advocacy groups from across the political spectrum that represent their interests. These groups include Independent Women’s Forum, Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), Independent Council on Women’s Sports, Champion Women, Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, International Consortium on Female Sports (ICFS), the US chapter of Women’s Declaration International (WDI USA), Young Women for America, Independent Women’s Voice, Concerned Women for America, Independent Women’s Law Center, and Independent Women’s Network.

We urge you to comply with federal law and the laws of 21 states and enact a policy protecting the integrity of women’s college sports. 

Specifically, we request that the governing body:

• Following the lead of the NAIA, repeal all policies and rules that allow male athletes to take roster spots on women’s teams and/or compete in women’s events;

• Establish and enforce the right of female athletes to participate in women’s sports based on sex; and

• Require its member institutions to provide single-sex locker rooms for female athletes.

Despite our political and ideological differences, we stand together with gratitude for the generations of women who came before us and in defense of all the women and girls who will come next. We hope you will do likewise.

Sincerely,

Independent Council on Women’s Sports
Kim Jones, Co-Founder
Marshi Smith, Co-Founder

Concerned Women for America
Penny Nance, CEO and President

Young Women for America
Morgan Schlesselman, National Director

Independent Women’s Network
Julie Gunlock, Director

Independent Women’s Voice
Heather Higgins, CEO

International Consortium on Female Sport
Linda Blade, Founding Member

Women’s Liberation Front
Sharon Byrne, Executive Director

Women's Sports Policy Working Group
Martina Navratilova, OLY
Donna de Varona, OLY

Champion Women
Nancy Hogshead, J.D., OLY

Independent Women’s Law Center
May Mailman, Director
Jennifer C. Braceras, VP for Legal Affairs

Independent Women’s Forum
Carrie Lukas, President
Paula Scanlan, Ambassador
Riley Gaines, Ambassador

Women’s Declaration International USA
Kara Dansky, President

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CC:

Charlie Baker, President, National Collegiate Athletics Association; Ex officio member, NCAA Board of Governors

Linda Livingstone, President, Baylor University; Chair, NCAA Board of Governors

Mary-Beth Cooper, President, Springfield College; Voting Member

Houston Davis, President, University of Central Arkansas; Voting Member

Beth DeBauche, Commissioner, Ohio Valley Conference; Voting Member

Allison Feaster, Independent, Vice President of Team Operations and Organizational Growth for The Boston Celtics; Voting Member

Jere Morehead, President, University of Georgia; Voting Member

Colleen Perry Keith, President, Goldey-Beacom College; Voting Member

Isaiah Swann, Graduated Division III Student-Athlete; Voting Member

Dr. Nadja West, Independent, 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army; Voting Member

Javaune Adams-Gaston, President, Norfolk State University; Ex officio Member

Bryce Choate, Graduated Division I Student-Athlete; Ex officio Member

Madeleine McKenna, Graduated Division II Student-Athlete; Ex officio Member

Roberta Page, Director of Athletics, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania; Ex officio Member

Lynda Tealer, Deputy Athletics Director, University of Florida; Ex officio Member

Lawrence Ward, Vice President for Learner Success/Dean of Campus Life, Babson College; Ex officio Member

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